מָנוֹר
𐤌𐤍𐤅𐤓
mânôwr
H4500 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A physical implement, typically a yoke or crossbeam, associated with agricultural tasks such as plowing or with construction elements like roof beams. The primary sense concerns a structural or load-bearing bar, especially one used by draft animals for tilling the soil. In some contexts, may refer more generally to a bar or shaft forming part of a larger apparatus or framework.
Semantic Range
yoke (esp. for plowing), crossbeam, bar, frame for draft animals, structural beam, component of agricultural apparatus
Root / Etymology
The word derives from the root ניר (to plow, break up ground, prepare arable land), with the nominal form indicating an agent or instrument associated with this action. Thus, מָנוֹר is fundamentally an implement for plowing, specifically the yoke-beam or bar affixed to draft animals enabling them to pull a plow or similar device. The form is a noun of agency/instrumentation, built from the root's sense of preparation or working the land.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מָנוֹר occurs in contexts relating to agricultural activities, particularly in discussions of plowing or implements used by animals or people working the land. In later Hebrew and related Semitic languages, extensions of the root also yield terms for razing, exposing, or making bare—hence the association with bareness or clarity. In some biblical contexts, מָנוֹר has been translated as 'yoke,' though in English versions, it has sometimes been rendered as 'beam' or 'bar,' reflecting uncertainty about the precise implement described. Archaeologically, it refers to essential components in agrarian life, underscoring the centrality of plowing and animal labor. The term is rare, appearing in technical contexts more than general narrative. Distinct from similar terms like עֹל ('ol, H5923), which broadly means 'yoke,' מָנוֹר is more specific to the crossbeam or frame itself, not the entire harness apparatus. Later translation traditions sometimes used broader or imprecise terms, which can obscure the more technical or specialized sense of the original Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נִיר; a yoke (properly, for plowing), i.e. the frame of aloom; beam.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ניר (n-y-r) — to break up land, to plow, to prepare soil
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5214 | נִיר | Plow up! |
| H5215 | נִיר | freshly plowed ground |
| H5369 | נֵר | Ner |
| H5374 | נֵרִיָּה | Yahweh is my lamp |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4500-01 |
כִּ/מְנוֹר֙ | kimenor | HR/Ncmsc |
like a weaver's | like a plow-yoke beam | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4500-01 |
1 Samuel 17:7 | כִּ/מְנוֹר֙ | kimenor | HR/Ncmsc |
like a weaver's | like a plow-yoke beam |
H4500-01 |
2 Samuel 21:19 | כִּ/מְנ֖וֹר | kimenor | HR/Ncmsc |
like a weaver's | like a plow-yoke beam |
H4500-01 |
1 Chronicles 11:23 | כִּ/מְנ֣וֹר | kimenor | HR/Ncmsc |
like a | like a plow-yoke beam |
H4500-01 |
1 Chronicles 20:5 | כִּ/מְנ֖וֹר | kimenor | HR/Ncmsc |
like a weaver's | like a plow-yoke beam |